EGU2020-20221
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-20221
EGU General Assembly 2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

The choice of grass species to combat desertification in semi‐arid Kenyan rangelands is greatly influenced by their forage value for livestock

Dickson Nyariki1, Nashon Musimba2, Moses Nyangito3, Agnes Mwang'ombe4, and Kevin Mganga5
Dickson Nyariki et al.
  • 1School of Business and Economics, Murangá University of Technology, Murangá, Kenya
  • 2Department of Agricultural Sciences, South Eastern Kenya University, Kitui. Kenya
  • 3Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • 4Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • 5Soils and Climate Change Group, University of Helsinki, Finland

Livestock production is the main source of livelihood in the arid and semi‐arid lands in Africa. However, desertification characterized by vegetation degradation and soil erosion is a major threat to the sustainability of land‐based production systems. Native rangeland forage species Cenchrus ciliaris L. (Buffel grass/African foxtail grass), Eragrostis superba Peyr. (Maasai love grass) and Enteropogon macrostachyus (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) Monro ex Benth. (Bush rye grass) have been used to combat desertification. The objectives of the study were to identify the best‐suited native grass species to combat desertification in a semi‐arid environment in Kenya and to identify the preferred grass species among the agropastoralists in the area. Percentage basal cover, plant densities and frequencies of the three grasses in pure stands and mixtures were estimated. Grass species preferences were through household survey and focus group discussion. Results showed a significant difference (P < 0·05) in plant densities and cover estimates: E. macrostachyus was ranked first; C. ciliaris and E. superba were ranked second and third respectively. The agropastoral farmers, however, preferred E. superba followed by C. ciliaris and E. macrostachyus, a reverse trend. These results suggest that the choice of grass species to combat desertification is influenced more by its contribution as a source of forage for livestock than its contribution for rehabilitation purposes.

How to cite: Nyariki, D., Musimba, N., Nyangito, M., Mwang'ombe, A., and Mganga, K.: The choice of grass species to combat desertification in semi‐arid Kenyan rangelands is greatly influenced by their forage value for livestock, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-20221, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-20221, 2020

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